title: Serologic survey for selected viral pathogens in free-ranging endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola) and other mustelids from south-western France.
abstract: To investigate the possible role of selected pathogens in the decline of endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola) populations and the potential for these pathogens to affect mink survival, a serologic survey was conducted using serum samples collected from March 1996 to March 2003 in eight departments of south-western France. In total, 481 free-ranging individuals of five mustelid species (including the European mink) were tested. Sympatric mustelids can serve as sentinels to determine the presence of antibodies to viruses in the study area that could potentially infect mink. Antibodies to Canine distemper virus (CDV) were detected in all species; 9% of 127 European mink, 20% of 210 polecats (Mustela putorius), 5% of 112 American mink (Mustela vison), 33% of 21 stone marten (Martes foina) and 5% of 20 pine marten (Martes martes). Antibody prevalence was significantly higher in stone marten and polecats, possibly because their ranges overlap more closely with that of domestic species than that of the other species tested. Antibodies to Canine adenovirus were detected in all species but the pine marten; antibody prevalence estimates ranging from 2% to 10%. Antibodies to canine parainfluenza virus were detected in 1% of European mink, 1% of American mink and 5% of tested polecats but were not detected in Martes species. Antibodies to Rabies virus (RV) were detected in three animals, possibly because of interspecies transmission of bat lyssaviruses as the sampling area is considered to be free of RV, or to a lack of test specificity, as antibody titers were low. The high antibody prevalence to potentially lethal CDV suggests that this pathogen could have significant effects on the free-ranging populations and has implications for the conservation efforts for the endangered European mink.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. joost.philippa@gmail.com
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Philippa
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fournier-Chambrillon
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schaftenaar
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van de Bildt
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Herweijnen
authors.forename: Thijs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuiken
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liabeuf
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ditcharry
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joubert
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bégnier
authors.forename: Ab
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osterhaus
mesh_terms: D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006516:Adenoviruses, Canine / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary*; D004216:Distemper / Q000453:epidemiology; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008907:Mink / Q000821:virology*; D011818:Rabies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000276:immunology; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral